Francis report will be 'very difficult moment' for NHS, warns Hunt

There are pockets of poor care like that found at Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust across the country, which should not be tolerated, according to the health secretary.

Speaking at last week’s chief nursing officer’s conference in Manchester, Jeremy Hunt revealed that he would receive the report from the public inquiry into Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust at the end of January.

Mr Hunt also reiterated the four policy priority areas he has chosen to focus on between now and the next general election.

These were, he said, to improve NHS mortality rates from the four major killer diseases; improve the standard of dementia care and “more broadly, long term conditions”; to get the NHS to “really embrace” the technology revolution; and that quality of care be considered as important as quality of treatment.

Nursing was “completely central to all” of the priority areas, he said, but in particular that on improving quality of care.

He warned delegates that the Francis report into the care and governance failings at Mid Staffordshire “was going to be a very big moment and a very difficult moment for the NHS with respect to the public”. He said: “The public need to know that we are on the case on this.”

“What we mustn’t do is say that Mid Staffs itself was an exception, because there are unfortunately pockets of those problems – even if not in that concentration – throughout the country,” he said.

“They are a betrayal of the other nurses and doctors, clinicians and care workers in those hospitals, the majority of whom will be working extremely hard and doing a very good job.”

He said the “six Cs” contained the new national nursing strategy were a “very, very powerful starting point” for improving quality of care. “What I really like about the six Cs is that they are about values,” he added.

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Readers' comments
(5)

'He said the “six Cs” contained the new national nursing strategy were a “very, very powerful starting point” for improving quality of care. “What I really like about the six Cs is that they are about values,” he added.'

What I'm interested in, the power balance - does this new set of values actually enable front-line nurses and doctors to challenge 'absurd decisions coming down from above' ?

I'm more interested in where we go to, not where we are starting from !

sorry but it seems after all the lies that are being told i will have to go back to my default setting of name calling and swearing at this unelected load of shisters. This appears to be where my talent lies and not in any intellectual debate. Please bear with.

Just a question - is it shysters ? I'm not sure, but feel it important that we get our abuse right.

As Tiger pointed out, values are one thing, having the power to put your values into practice is another: unfortunately there are some values this goverment has, and are putting into practice, that I dislike a lot !

I think Jeremy Hunt needs to read about 'sick organisations' (and how to prevent them). Read the works of Manfred Kets de Vreis and Duchon and Burns. A key issue is protecting whistleblowers which the NHS does not seem very good at ! There are also important issues about accountability, transparency and avoiding too much concentration of power in any organisation. A 'healthy' organisation is inherently 'democratic' where people can speak out and express disagreement without fear.

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